DaySailer.org Forum

Winter storage for many of us is a fact of life it'd be interesting to hear what others are doing there. The best outside storage I found was to flip the boat over. I tried tarps but the never relenting wind here would flap the tarp no matter how well you tied it down and start to erode the gel coat. While they say its not enviromentally or economically friendly I'm jealous of the shrink wrapped cruisers. Now I keep my DS inside but even that isn't perfect, nothing a cat can't cure though.

I also have to admit to storing sailboats with no cover at all and not having any issues. However, as a sample of what can go wrong I have an old Crosby outboard that I've stored poorly for years and now I see the coring is bad and it's going to be a pain to repair if even possible.

Baysailer

I leave mine outside all year with a tarp draped over the mast. The tarp is long enough to cover the trailer winch and tongue.
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Most winters, the trailer is not kept on the street like in that picture, and at that other site, there are a lot of trees to provide wind-breaks.

One way to cut down on the tarp rubbing against the side of the boat is to use weights, rather than to tie bungees underneath the hull or to the trailer. I suppose, on an unpaved lot, you could even use tent-pegs to further pull the tarp away from the side of the boat.

The main benefit of this for me would be that I've seen mold growing on the side of the hull below the rub-rail. That air pocket is not ventilated enough when the tarp is tied to the trailer.

In the front, I simply stitch together the tarp by running a bungee that has no hooks through the grommets on both sides, and tie it off on the trailer tongue. Quick and simple. During the season, I often use just one other bungee in the back - unless high winds or strong rains are forecast. For winter storage, I tie the tarp more securely.

I've started experimenting with weights - too soon for me to be able to give you a report based on first-hand experience.

As I mentioned in another thread, mine's on the trailer, way at the end of the driveway, in the back yard. After removing the mast and boom, I stretched the cockpit cover over the cockpit, fastened to the gunwale eyestraps.

I then laid 4 or 5 planks across the cockpit (each about 6" wide and just long enough to span the cockpit width) to take whatever snow load may accumulate.

I then covered the entire boat with a 30 dollar, 20'x15', PVC tarp I got at Lowe's, which has grommets installed every 12". A bungie stretching from each grommet down to the trailer frame keeps the tarp in place in all kinds of wind.

My gelcoat isn't that nice, so any wear wouldn't be that big a deal, anyway. But if that were a consideration, some foam pipe insulation can be slipped over the rub rail to cushion the deck edges from abrasion. It's cheap, comes in various diameters and is already slit lengthwise to ease installation.

I store mine outside on the trailer with a trap cover secured over a framework of 1x2s. The tarp usually only lasts one season. I do have a vent to allow fresh air in. Also I support the trailer and remove the trailer wheels and store them inside my garage along with the mast, boom, and rudder.

I never considered turning the hull upside down. If you do this I would tape up the CB opening to keep snow and ice out of that area. You could easily damage the CB trunk and accessories from swelling ice. Brad

I found a supply of white tarps that have worked for me as multi-season tarps. Each lasts two or three years. The material feels substantial. The white color helps keep the boat cool - I use these tarps year round, so I never have to bail rainwater.

GreenLake,

Where do you get the white tarps? Also, I've noticed that the heavy-duty poly tarps that I get, which are green/black, seem to discolor the vinyl rub rail where they make contact. Have you noticed any of that with the white tarps in the summertime? I speculated that it was the dye transferring but it might just be incompatible plastic. The discoloration seems to bleach out after a couple of days without the tarp.

Peterw, I think I will try your idea with the pipe insulation.

Algonquin, I too think it's a good idea to block up the trailer and bring the wheels and tires in. I think especially if you keep your trailer on an unpaved surface the dry rot happens to those tires amazingly fast.

Thanks, KC

I'm interested in finding the white tarps too, Greenlake. I've looked in the Home Depot sort of stores and can't find anything - plus, the regular blue tarps seem to have gone way up in price. My garage was made for a Model T, so, not even my mast will fit in - therefore I'd really like to keep it beneath the tarp as well - which means a pretty big tarp! I've looked at the blue ones that are large enough to cover, but the opposite dimension is always so much larger than I need, and they only last a year - maybe. I've called a local awning and tent company that make the sort of tents people use when they have festivals etc. They will make a tent / tarp in any dimension, with as many grommets as you like. I think they said to cover the boat / mast length, I'd be looking at almost 250.00. Someone that used these in the past said they last about 3-5 years continuous use outdoors. It seems sort of expensive!! I'm so envious of people with large garages. Occasionally my wife says something about buying rental property (of which I have no interest in renting) and whenever she does, there is this little spark that goes off in my head inquiring, "is there a really large garage on the property that I could claim as my own!

Tarpsplus.com has 10 oz white canvas tarps at good prices. A 6X20 tarp is $45.60. They also make custom tarps. Another option is a painters supply store, they carry canvas drop cloths. You could get a grommet kit and make your own tarp.

These tarps aren't white but are quite rugged and reasonably priced. Also they make great sail material for gaff rigged boats. Brad

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisear ... &Submit=Go

I get mine at a local hardware store. The chain they are part of is something like "do it best", or that's one of their house brands, whatever.

As regards the size, I think what I buy is 12 x 20. That's a size that I can still wrestle myself. To remove, I fold each side up over the mast (with a bit of overlap), then fold one more time and roll up, back to front, with the tarp loosely resting on the boat. To install, unroll and throw one half over the mast, the folds undo themselves, pull tight.

@K.C.
With earlier tarps (silver, etc.) I had the problem of disintegration and the whole boat filled with flecks of material. I have a white hull/rubrail so any "color" transfer would be hard to spot - I think there's none.

GreenLake, thanks for the thoughts on the snow country camo tarp.

KC